Veterans prepare new attack on John Kerry

12.00pm - By ANDREW GUMBEL in Los Angeles

Undaunted by accusations that they were spreading lies on behalf of President Bush's re-election campaign, a group of Republican veterans of the Vietnam War were preparing yesterday to launch a new television advert accusing John Kerry of cowardice, disloyalty and worse during his time in uniform.

The advert, due to air this week in the battleground states of Pennsylvania, New Mexico and Nevada, focuses on the anti-war testimony Mr Kerry gave to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 1971 after he had been wounded in combat and received multiple decorations for valour under fire.

It shows a clip of the 27-year-old Mr Kerry talking about atrocities committed by US troops, and then has a handful of other veterans describing his words as an act of betrayal against his comrades-in-arms.

"He betrayed us in the past," says veteran Ken Cordier. "How can we be loyal to him now?"

Senator Kerry has faced growing criticism from his fellow Democrats for allowing the issue that should be his greatest campaign asset - his service in Vietnam - to force him on to the defensive.

The candidate finally retaliated in a speech on Thursday and filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission accusing the group attacking him, Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, of close - and illegal - ties to the Bush campaign.

The fear, however, is that Mr Kerry moved too late. Opinion polls are beginning to show that the attack ads, given further airing through discussion on cable news stations, have eaten into his standing with the voters, especially veterans.